Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel leaves field on crutches

Jeff Driskel #6 of the Florida Gators drops back to throw the ball against the Miami Hurricanes on September 7, 2013 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The Hurricanes defeated the Gators 21-16. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel left the field on crutches after injuring his right ankle against Tennessee.

Driskel, already playing with a brace on his sprained left knee, twisted his ankle while throwing an interception in the first quarter.

Devaun Swafford picked off the pass and returned it 62 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead. Marlon Walls pulled Driskel to the ground as he released the ball. Driskel tried to get up, but then dropped back to the turf and called for trainers.

He limped off the field a few minutes later, got checked on the sideline and used crutches to get to the locker room.

Junior Tyler Murphy replaced Driskel on the next drive. Murphy had never thrown a pass in college, a significant depth problem coaches knew they would face if Driskel got hurt this season.

Making matters worse, the No. 19 Gators already were without cornerback Marcus Roberson (knee), running back Valdez Showers (ankle) and right tackle Tyler Moore (ankle). Right guard Jon Halapio, who missed the first two games of the season with a partly torn pectoral muscle, got poked in the eye in the first quarter and missed several plays.

But he returned to the field in the second and appeared to have a shield on his helmet.